August 4/July 22 – memory of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalenetranslated

On the shores of Lake Gennesaret, between the cities of Capernaum and Tiberias, in Gospel times there was a small city of Magdala, the remains of which have survived to this day.

In Magdala, she was once born and raised whose name will forever go down in Gospel history. The Holy Scriptures do not speak about Mary's youth, but tradition says that Mary of Magdala was young, beautiful and led a sinful life. The Gospel only indicates that the Lord cast out seven demons from Mary. From the moment of her healing, Maria began a new life. She became a faithful disciple of the Savior.

Mary Magdalene followed the Lord when He and the apostles walked through the cities and villages of Judea and Galilee preaching the Kingdom of God. Together with other pious women - Joanna, the wife of Chuza (Herod's steward), Susanna and others, she served Him from her estates (i.e., from her means) (Luke 8:1-3) and, undoubtedly, shared evangelistic works with the apostles, especially among women. Obviously, the Evangelist Luke means her, along with other holy women, when he says that at the moment of Christ’s procession to Calvary, when, after the scourging, He carried the heavy Cross on Himself, exhausted under its weight, the women followed Him, crying and sobbing, and...